Measuring equipment and measuring method using cartridge container, and program recording medium

Abstract

In the measuring equipment, a nozzle driving unit 10 equipped with a bar code reader decides whether the cartridge container being set is a special-purpose container, in which a predetermined reagent is injected separately in advance and to which a bar code is attached, or a general-purpose container that is prepared by separately injecting reagents by hand into an empty cartridge container, and when the cartridge container is a special-purpose container, a CPU 1 reads out measurement conditions from a measurement condition storage part for special-purpose reagents 3a based on the information included in the bar code, and when the cartridge container is a general-purpose container, the CPU1 reads out measurement conditions for items of a measurement object selected and input by a measurer from a measurement condition storage part for general-purpose reagents 3b to conduct a measurement.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a Division of application Ser. No. 10 / 049,798, filed Feb. 12, 2002, which is a U.S. National Stage application of PCT / JP01 / 04514, filed May 29, 2001, which applications are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to measuring equipment and a measuring method using a cartridge container including a plurality of vessels into which separate liquid reagents are injected to measure a specific component contained in a specimen from a sample that is obtained by mixing a body fluid (specimen) such as blood or urine with reagents inside this cartridge container following predetermined processes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Conventionally, particularly in the field of clinical examinations, it is known to prepare a sample by mixing a specimen such as human blood or urine with a necessary reagent and to carry out an automatic measurement of a specific component from th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems by providing measuring equipment constructed to use a predetermined cartridge container, which is excellent for general purpose use while maintaining the advantages of the special-purpose apparatus in that it is generally smaller than the general-purpose apparatus and capable of automating the operations almost completely.

[0012] According to this configuration, it is possible to decide easily whether an information carrier is attached to the cartridge container. In addition, as the optically readable information carrier, for example, a bar code, a graphic character code, and other marks or the like can be used.

[0014] According to this configuration, for example, a magnetic recording medium in which measurement conditions for items of a measurement object requested from a user is offered from a manufacturer of measuring equipment etc. to the user of the equipment, so that the measuring equipment corresponding to the needs of the user can be constructed easily. In addition, as the magnetic recording medium mentioned above, for example, a magnetic card or the like can be used.

[0016] According to this configuration, the present measuring equipment can manage measurement conditions for measurements using the special-purpose cartridge container and measurement conditions for measurements using the general-purpose cartridge container effectively.

[0018] According to this configuration, measurement conditions for the general-purpose cartridge container can be managed more effectively.

[0022] According to this configuration, it has become possible to conduct measurements on specific items of a measurement object by using the special-purpose cartridge container which is injected separately in advance with predetermined reagents or the like as well as on arbitrary items of a measurement object by using the general-purpose cartridge container, in which commercially available reagents etc. are injected separately as needed into an empty cartridge container, so that measuring equipment that is excellent for general purpose use can be provided.

Problems solved by technology

Therefore, it is difficult to automate all the operations, and the measurement operation procedures corresponding to the measurement object need to be determined by the operator.

In addition, every time the measurement object is changed, it is necessary to replace reagents or to clean the apparatus, so that the loss of reagent is great, and also the consumables such as wash water are consumed in a large amount.

However, as a matter of course, the special-purpose apparatus can only carry out the measurement of a specific measurement object.

Therefore, when a substance that cannot be measured by the special-purpose apparatus needs to be measured, there is no other way but to use the general-purpose apparatus in spite of the disadvantages described above.

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